Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and ranking member Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., conduct a House Judiciary Committee markup in Rayburn Building on Wednesday, May 8, 2019, to vote on whether to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress for refusing to turn over the unredacted Mueller report to the committee. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

The House Judiciary Committee approved a resolution Wednesday to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress over access to the full special counsel report, escalating a broadening clash between the legislative and executive branches over congressional oversight.

The resolution, approved on a 24-16 roll call vote along party lines, came after days of negotiations with the Justice Department in public and private that came down to how many lawmakers and staffers could see and discuss the report from Robert S. Mueller III, and how much material they would see because of court orders protecting it

Aiden Anthony, right, and Cameron Foreman, both 7, participate in the Blossom Kite Festival on the National Mall on Saturday. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

The cherry blossoms reached peak bloom this week just in time for the annual festival celebrating the special branches.

It was a busy week on the Hill full of multiple subpoena-authorizing hearings, a speech from the NATO secretary general, basketball excitement and a visit from the Netflix stars of the show “Queer Eye.”

The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved, along party lines, 22-11, a bill to reauthorize and expand programs designed to help victims of sexual and domestic violence.

The protections and programs authorized by the 1994 law lapsed during the partial government shutdown last year, but were reinstated in the January short-term fiscal 2019 spending deal. An extension was not included in last month’s deal that provided for spending through the end of fiscal 2019.

The House passed legislation Tuesday disapproving of President Donald Trump’s border security emergency declaration but came up well short of the two-thirds margin that would be needed to overcome a Trump veto.

The 245-182 vote sends the joint resolution to the Senate, where it should get expedited consideration.

Thirteen Republicans rebuked President Donald Trump on Tuesday, supporting a Democratic effort to block his national emergency declaration to fund a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border.

A resolution of disapproval to overturn Trump’s move passed the House by a vote of 245-182, with almost every Democrat and 13 Republicans supporting the measure. Trump declared a national emergency earlier this month when Congress failed to meet his request of $8 billion for a barrier along the southern border. Lawmakers allocated nearly $1.4 billion for 55 miles of barriers in a recent government funding bill.

Rep. Joyce Beatty, D-Ohio, second from right, at a rally outside the Supreme Court in January to oppose an Ohio voter purge law. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call file photo)

The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights urged Congress on Wednesday to update the landmark law that protects voter rights, finding in a new report that a 2013 Supreme Court decision helped lead to elections with voting measures in place that discriminate against minorities.

But opposition from Republican lawmakers has stalled legislation to change the Voting Rights Act of 1965 since the 5-4 decision in Shelby County v. Holder that struck down a key enforcement mechanism in the law. Current efforts appear stuck for the same reason.

Speaker Paul D. Ryan and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner endorsed the longtime Wisconsin state senator Monday as she faces businessman and political newcomer Kevin Nicholson in the GOP primary for the chance to go head-to-head against Sen. Tammy Baldwin in the general election.

The Wisconsin Republican, who was first elected to the House in 1978, held the most of any member of Congress last year, when he racked up 115. Since 2011, he has held more than 500 meetings with constituents.